International Marine Mammal Project: Prominent Global Citizens Urge Russia to Free the "Whale Jail" Whales in Their Home Waters

BERKLEY, Calif., March, 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A group of prominent global citizens have signed a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin encouraging the government to rehabilitate and release 10 orcas and more than 80 beluga whales now kept in inadequate sea pens in the "Whale Jail" in Srednyaya Bay, near the east coast city of Nakhodka.

Mark J. Palmer, of the International Marine Mammal Project  (IMMP) of Earth Island Institute, stated:  "We are very pleased at this tremendous outpouring of support for the orcas and beluga whales in Russia.  We hope we and other groups can help the Russian government safely return these whales to their home waters."

President Vladimir Putin
Russian Federation
23, Ulitsa Ilyinka,
103132, Moscow, Russia

18 March, 2019

Dear President Putin,

We are writing to thank you and the Russian government for steps taken to protect 80+ beluga whales and 10 orcas now held in inadequate conditions in Srednyaya Bay, near the east coast city of Nakhodka.

We commend the action you have taken so far to block the export of these amazing beings to dolphinariums in other countries, as whales and dolphins do not cope well with captivity.  We further commend you and your government for not approving new capture permits for 2019, and fully support the Russian initiative to implement a permanent ban on capture of Russian orcas and beluga whales.  Such an action would prevent the horrible situation playing out in the Far East from happening ever again.

We would like to ask you to take several important steps for the welfare of the remaining whales in the sea pens.  We cannot stress enough that the lives of these whales are in danger, and they need immediate help.  Please consider expanding their current sea pens in size and/or building additional enclosures to reduce the number of animals per pen and introducing insulation and warming protocols to prevent ice from forming in the enclosures.  These steps are critical for the whales' survival.

We further ask you and the Russian government, in consultation with Russian scientists and Russian non-governmental organizations, to plan to return the orcas and beluga whales to the Sea of Okhotsk and their birth populations when feasible.  There are many international scientists and experts as well who have extensive expertise in successfully rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing orcas to the wild, such as Keiko, Springer and many others.  International experts will be happy to provide their help to Russian colleagues with rehabilitation and release of the orcas and belugas back into the wild.

This is an important moment for Russia on the world stage.  The world is waiting for a happy ending in this tragic and unfortunate situation. Thank you again for all that you have done, and please take action to protect these magnificent Russian whales!

Sincerely,

Pamela Anderson
Actor

Yuliya Aug
Actor

Wendy Benchley
Co-Founder, Peter Benchley Ocean Awards
Member, WildAid Board of Directors

Sir Richard Branson
Founder and Chairman, Virgin Group
Member, Ocean Elders

Jackson Browne
Musician
Member, Ocean Elders

Tom Campbell
Cinematographer, Producer, Director

Susan Casey
Bestselling Author, Voices from the Ocean
Former Editor-in-Chief, O Magazine

Gregory Colbert
Artist, Creator of Ashes and Snow

Holly Marie Combs
Actor

Celine S. Cousteau
Filmmaker, Environmentalist

Jean-Michel Cousteau
Chairman and President, Ocean Futures Society
Member, Ocean Elders

Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Director, Blackfish

Beth Davidow
Cinematographer, Filmmaker, Author

Kristin Davis
Actor, Environmentalist

Saba Douglas-Hamilton
Television Presenter, Wildlife Conservationist

Sylvia Earle, PhD
National Geographic Explorer in Residence
Founder, Mission Blue
Member, Ocean Elders

Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE
Founder, Jane Goodall Institute
UN Messenger of Peace

Adrian Grenier
Actor, Director, Producer

Tom Gruber
Co-Founder of Siri Inc.
Member, Ocean Elders

Sati Kazanova
Singer 

Graeme Kelleher
Former Chairman and CEO, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
Member, Ocean Elders

Yuri Kolokolnikov
Actor

Doutzen Kroes
Supermodel, Actor, Environmentalist

Ilya Lagutenko
Musician, Mumiy Troll
Founder of VROX.org Festival

Kate Mara
Actor

Eli Martinez
International TV presenter, Environmentalist
Founder of Shark Diver Magazine

Rinal Mukhametov
Actor

Leilani Münter
Race Car Driver, Environmentalist

Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan
Member, Ocean Elders

Edward Norton Jr.
Actor  

Hayden Panettiere
Actor

Prof. Bertrand Piccard
Chair, Solar Impulse Foundation
Member, Ocean Elders

Louie Psihoyos
Executive Director, Oceanic Preservation Society
Director, The Cove

Mark Ruffalo
Actor, Environmentalist

David Shaw
Manager, Black Point Group
Member, Ocean Elders

Robert Talbot
Film Maker, Photographer

Anne-Marie van Dijk
International Model

Natalia Vodianova
Supermodel, Elbi Founder

Captain Don Walsh, PhD
USN (Ret)
Member, Ocean Elders

Bob Weir
Musician
Member, Ocean Elders

Maisie Williams
Actor, Environmentalist

Ann Wilson
Musician, Heart

Nancy Wilson
Musician, Heart

Olga Zueva
Filmmaker

Contact:  Mark J. Palmer, Associate Director
[email protected] (510) 859-9139, (707) 553-1720

SOURCE International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute

Related Links

http://savedolphins.eii.org/

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